Prednisone Blues

I was trying to clear out some old DVDs of photos by downloading them on to our computer, when I came across this one of me in '06 with our dog, Lucy. MyKid took the photo.

I decided Lucy didn't need a nom du blog, like the rest of the family. No need to preserve her canine identity. Can you believe that's me after the photos you've seen since?

On to the Prednisone Diary:

Now on a regimen of 40 mgs a day, the ups and downs are really coming at a furious pace.

Monday, I thought I'd start a plan of yoga in the a.m., and a bike ride in the afternoon. The yoga was fine, but I could barely eke out a 15-minute bike ride, it was just too difficult, even riding on a flat surface.

Tuesday, raising my arm was painful, as was bending it. Climbing the stairs was hard. I was flummoxed. And I was sad. I thought that this might be the perfect day to try Oxycontin.

The doctors give it away like water, I've never abused drugs, and at my age and sick, I felt justified.

And, the pain did go away, I was able to move around, and it didn't make me too dopey. But, I sure can feel the difference between the intensity of 60 mgs of prednisone and moving slow on 40 mgs and an Oxycontin. I napped for about 45 minutes, and I just felt low.

I had been hearing from other women about "how good" they had felt on prednisone. I really didn't get it until now, when I can compare being well on it and being low coming off of it.

Wednesday, today, I woke up feeling better. I skipped yoga. I also skipped the Oxycontin. I had no need. The pains were just not there in that intensity. Instead, MyMan and I worked on a clean up project, a project that still resulted in gobs of sweat.

Sometimes I can sit quitely in a room and have rivulets running down my cheek. Other times, I can be walking around and feel dry and cool. Go figure.

Also, MyMan and I spent several hours on the phone trying to make sure I can go to the doctor....because my COBRA coverage still hasn't kicked in, now more than 45 days after I was let go from my job. We just learned today that the hold up has been caused by my former employer, and MyMan wisely contacted relevant authorities to get them to move.

It's bad enough to be sick, it's bad enough to be sick and "terminated" from your job, but to have to fight the very organization that terminated you for the very services that are due you, and that you've paid for....it's really unbelievable. There are no words.

After mid-day, "pumpkin head" did manage to walk to the library and back with a short stop at the supermarket. I overdid it, I know. On the other hand, it was good to get out.

MyMan and MyKid are about to attend this evening's Philharmonic Concert in the Park. Usually, I have to drag them, but all the friends are going, so they're going too. I just couldn't make the walk.

A little culcha is always a good thing.

Can you believe, yesterday was 40 years since Americans landed on the moon?